The Copenhagen lakes are to Copenhagen what Central Park is to New York City: the green lung of the city, offering air, space, and recreational opportunities right smack in the middle of the city.
Just a bit of expectation management, as I've heard a guest in the city at one point express disappointment at the lakes, because she "thought it would be more like the Lake District in the UK": the lakes are actually water reservoirs, artificial lakes which up until modern times held Copenhagen's drinking water reservoirs. They haven't served this purpose in more than century, though, and now act simply as a recreational body of water smack in the middle of the city. They are very shallow, so in the winter, if it gets cold enough, they freeze up reasonably fast and have served as skating rinks in past winters.
A total of 5 lake bassins with a foot path all around, and a bike path on two sides, you can use the lake area as a shortcut between the neighbourhoods of Copenhagen (they connect the neighbourhoods of Østerbro, Nørrebro, Frederiksberg, and Vesterbro), for a Sunday stroll, or a morning run. Running is very popular, and the lakes have actually been measured for distance, you'll be able to find a map of the individual distances in most running shoe stores in the city (a trip around all of them is about 6.5K). There is also an outdoor workout area where the lakes meet Tagensvej, on the north side of the lakes.
In the summer there are also pedal boats for rent near the cafe Kaffesalonen, near Dronning Louises Bro on the Nørrebro part of the lakes. The same cafe also has a padio serving area built into the lake, which is also open in summer.
Dronning Louises Bro is a very popular hangout for Nørrebro's hip crowd anytime the sun is out, where they'll drink beer and play music. This practice has earned the bridge its nickname "The Hipster Mile". This bridge is also the stretch of road in Denmark that sees the most bicycle traffic, so make sure to check for cyclists before crossing.
There are plenty of cafes on the edge of the lakes offering lakeside views with your coffee or beer. These are almost exclusively on the northern shore of the lakes, on the stretch that runs along Østerbro and Nørrebro. Once you hit Frederiksberg, cafes become few and far between.
All in all, no visitor to the city should deny themselves a stroll along the lakes, in particular in the summer, but they see activity all year round. read more